


Turn Around (See Me There)

by MoonytheMarauder1



Series: So This is Love [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub, Exes, First Meetings, Gay Remus Lupin, Kingsley Shacklebolt & Nymphadora Tonks Friendship, M/M, Meet-Cute, Nymphadora Tonks & Remus Lupin Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-02-23 03:03:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23538076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonytheMarauder1/pseuds/MoonytheMarauder1
Summary: Things threaten to get awkward when Remus runs into his ex while out for drinks with Tonks and her coworkers. Luckily, Kingsley is willing to lend a hand.Part 1 of So This is Love
Relationships: Remus Lupin/Fabian Prewett, Remus Lupin/Kingsley Shacklebolt
Series: So This is Love [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1693852
Kudos: 19





	Turn Around (See Me There)

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, y'all! This is part 1 of So This is Love (a collection of meet-cutes, pairings will vary). This is RemusKingsley :)

When Remus locked eyes with Fabian Prewett across the room, he knew with the utmost certainty that he should _not_ have let Tonks talk him into joining her and her friends on a late night pub crawl.

"Shit," he muttered into his drink, quickly turning around in the hopes that Fabian had missed him. No luck, though; he could hear the other man calling his name as he made his way over.

Tonks heard and raised a pink brow. "Something wrong?"

"No," Remus said miserably, wishing he'd ordered a stronger drink. "Unless you count the fact that I'm about to be humiliated."

She looked around the bar. "Why… oh." Tonks' lips pressed into a thin line. "I could get rid of him," she offered. "I'm a police officer, I could make it look like an accident."

Remus' lips twitched. "As much as I'd like that, I think there might be too many witnesses."

"Too many witnesses? For what?"

Remus jumped. He hadn't realized that their conversation had attracted the attention of one of Tonks' _very fit_ coworkers: Kingsley Shacklebolt, whom Remus had met briefly a couple times before.

He took a sip of his drink to steady his nerves and let Kingsley's deep voice wash over him before responding. "Murdering an old ex," he explained reluctantly.

One of Kingsley's dark brows rose up his forehead. There's a piercing there that Remus quickly became addicted to. "That the bloke who's trying to force his way through the crowd?"

Remus shrugged helplessly and ran a hand through his tawny hair. "He seemed much more impressive on the first date, I assure you," he said, with just a touch of humor.

Kingsley tilted his head to the side, his gold earring catching the light. "Anything I can do to help?"

Remus glanced at Tonks, who looked like she was trying to stifle a laugh. Her brown eyes were dancing with amusement, and he scowled at her before turning back to Kingsley. "Unless you can find me a boyfriend in the next five seconds, no."

Kingsley's dark fingers drummed against the countertop as he grinned. "Are you asking?"

Stunned, Remus just gaped at him for a minute. Then he thought about how things with Fabian had ended and decided that he really didn't want the entire bar watch him try to escape from a man who couldn't be bothered to show up on time for anything but sex.

Remus swallowed thickly. "Are you offering?"

The police officer just gave him a look, and Remus risked a glance over his shoulder. Fabian was quickly approaching. He turned back to Kingsley, feeling just a little foolish. "Yes, all right, I'm asking."

Kingsley grinned, but he didn't have any more time to react before Fabian clamped a hand down on Remus' shoulder.

"Remus." Red hair and warm brown eyes filled Remus' vision, but he stiffened under the touch.

"Fabian. Let go." He tried to twist out of his ex's grasp, but Fabian had played football for their university; he was much stronger than Remus.

"No, I—I just need to say that I know I messed up, but if you'd give me another chance…"

Anotherhand clamped down on Remus' other shoulder. "Sorry, mate," Kingsley rumbled in a voice that was definitely _not_ sorry, "but he's taken." The hand on Remus' shoulder moved until it was cradling the back of his neck. Remus' face was on fire; behind Fabian, Tonks was stifling her laughter with her hand.

Fabian drew back, as though burned. He looked stunned, disappointed, and a little angry—Remus had no regrets. "I didn't realize," he said, his voice cold.

"No harm done." Now Kingsley was standing, one hand still protectively on Remus' neck. He stuck the other one out to Fabian. "Officer Shacklebolt."

Remus barely managed to repress a grin as Fabian's face flushed. "Er, Prewett."

Kingsley nodded once, then looked back at Remus, Fabian forgotten. "Come on, love, let's get going."

Remus stood obligingly, shooting Tonks an apologetic glance as he exited with her friend. Once outside, Remus stuffed his hands in his pockets and tried to ignore the fact that Kingsley was still gripping his arm lightly.

"Thanks for doing that," Remus said, his amber eyes flickering up to look at Kingsley. "It was hardly an ideal situation, I know."

Kingsley smiled easily and shrugged. "I didn't mind," he said in his deep voice. He hesitated for a second, then added, "I'm glad you came out tonight. Tonks said you almost didn't."

"I don't go out often," Remus admitted. A teacher's salary wasn't much to go off of, but he managed.

"Right." Kingsley inhaled deeply. "Right, well, I wanted to know if you were interested in taking that charade" —he gestured back to the bar— "and make it real."

His eyes widening in surprise, Remus clasped his hands together anxiously. "You want to?"

Kingsley laughed, then, and the sound sent a thrill of longing through Remus. "Even _No-Eye_ Moody could see I have feelings for you," the taller man told him. Remus' lips twitched, understanding that Kingsley was referring to his one-eyed, paranoid superior. "What do you say, Remus?"

Well, he certainly wasn't going to let this opportunity pass by. He crossed his arms. "Thank you, Kingsley," he answered quietly. "I'd like to see you again."

Kingsley squeezed his upper arm, and the evening suddenly seemed a lot brighter.


End file.
